Capacitor component

ABSTRACT

A capacitor component includes a body including dielectric layers and first and second internal electrodes disposed to face each other while having the dielectric layer interposed therebetween; and first and second external electrodes disposed on an external surface of the body and electrically connected to the first and second internal electrodes, respectively. The body includes a capacitance forming portion including the first and second internal electrodes disposed to face each other while having the dielectric layer interposed therebetween and in which capacitance is formed, and cover portions formed on upper and lower surfaces of the capacitance forming portion, and hardness of the cover portions is 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or less.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims benefit of priority to Korean Patent ApplicationNo. 10-2018-0104705 filed on Sep. 3, 2018 in the Korean IntellectualProperty Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a capacitor component.

BACKGROUND

A multilayer ceramic capacitor, a capacitor component, is a chip-typecondenser mounted on the printed circuit boards of various electronicproducts such as an image display apparatus, including a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD), a plasma display panel (PDP), or the like, a computer, asmartphone, a cellular phone, and the like, serving to charge ordischarge electricity therein or therefrom.

The multilayer ceramic capacitor may be used as a component of variouselectronic apparatuses due to advantages thereof, such as a small size,a high capacitance, and ease of mounting. As various electronic devicessuch as computers, mobile devices, and the like are miniaturized andhave a high output, demand for miniaturization and high capacitance ofthe multilayer ceramic capacitor is increased.

In order to simultaneously achieve miniaturization and high capacitanceof the multilayer ceramic capacitor, the number of stacked layers needsto be increased by reducing thicknesses of a dielectric layer andinternal electrodes. Currently, the thickness of the dielectric layerhas reached about 0.6 μm, and the dielectric layer continues to bethinned.

However, in a case in which the thickness of the dielectric layer isless than 0.6 μm, it is difficult to secure withstand voltagecharacteristics, and insulation resistance (IR) deterioration defect ofthe dielectric layer is increased such that quality and yield may belowered.

In addition, according to the related art, in order to compare withstandvoltage characteristics of the multilayer ceramic capacitor, a breakingdown voltage (BDV) at which the multilayer ceramic capacitor is brokenis measured and determined while sequentially increasing an applicationvoltage. Therefore, it is difficult to easily compare the withstandvoltage characteristics of the multilayer ceramic capacitor.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present disclosure may provide a capacitor componenthaving excellent withstand voltage characteristics. In addition, anaspect of the present disclosure may provide a new parameter capable ofpredicting withstand voltage characteristics.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a capacitor componentmay include a body including dielectric layers and first and secondinternal electrodes disposed to face each other while having thedielectric layer interposed therebetween, and including first and secondsurfaces opposing each other, third and fourth surfaces connected to thefirst and second surfaces and opposing each other, and fifth and sixthsurfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposing eachother; and first and second external electrodes disposed on an externalsurface of the body and electrically connected to the first and secondinternal electrodes, respectively. The body may include a capacitanceforming portion including the first and second internal electrodesdisposed to face each other while having the dielectric layer interposedtherebetween and in which capacitance is formed, and cover portionsdisposed on upper and lower surfaces of the capacitance forming portion,respectively, and hardness of the cover portions may be 9.5 GPa or moreand 14 GPa or less.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a capacitorcomponent may include a body including dielectric layers and first andsecond internal electrodes disposed to face each other while having thedielectric layer interposed therebetween, and including first and secondsurfaces opposing each other, third and fourth surfaces connected to thefirst and second surfaces and opposing each other, and fifth and sixthsurfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposing eachother; and first and second external electrodes disposed on an externalsurface of the body and electrically connected to the first and secondinternal electrodes, respectively. The body may include a capacitanceforming portion including the first and second internal electrodesdisposed to face each other while having the dielectric layer interposedtherebetween and in which capacitance is formed, and cover portionsdisposed on upper and lower surfaces of the capacitance forming portion,each of the cover portions may include a first region adjacent to theinternal electrode disposed at the outermost portion among the first andsecond internal electrodes and a second region adjacent to the externalsurface of the body, and hardness of the first region may be 9.5 GPa ormore and 14 GPa or less.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features and other advantages of thepresent disclosure will be more clearly understood from the followingdetailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a capacitorcomponent according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line II-II′ ofFIG. 1;

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate ceramic green sheets on which internalelectrodes for manufacturing a body of the capacitor component accordingto an exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure are printed;

FIG. 5 illustrates the Weibull distribution according to a breaking downvoltage for samples having different hardness of a cover portion;

FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating a measurement result of hardness valuesof a cover portion of samples selected from group 1 and group 2 of FIG.5;

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG.1 according to another exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure;and

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line II-II′ ofFIG. 1 according to another exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will now bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, an X direction refers to a second direction, an Ldirection, or a length direction, a Y direction refers to a thirddirection, a W direction, or a width direction, and a Z direction refersto a first direction, a stacked direction, a T direction, or a thicknessdirection.

Capacitor Component

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a capacitorcomponent according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG.1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line II-II′ ofFIG. 1.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate ceramic green sheets on which internalelectrodes for manufacturing a body of the capacitor component accordingto an exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure are printed.

FIG. 4A illustrates a ceramic green sheet on which a first internalelectrode is printed and FIG. 4B illustrates a ceramic green sheet onwhich a second internal electrode is printed.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4B, a capacitor component 100 according toan exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure may include a body 110including dielectric layers 111 and first and second internal electrodes121 and 122 disposed to face each other while having the dielectriclayer 111 interposed therebetween, and including first and secondsurfaces 1 and 2 opposing each other, third and fourth surfaces 3 and 4connected to the first and second surfaces and opposing each other, andfifth and sixth surfaces 5 and 6 connected to the first to fourthsurfaces and opposing each other; and first and second externalelectrodes 131 and 132 disposed on an external surface of the body andelectrically connected to the first and second internal electrodes,respectively. The body may include a capacitance forming portion Aincluding the first and second internal electrodes disposed to face eachother while having the dielectric layer 111 interposed therebetween andin which capacitance is formed, and cover portions 112 and 113 formed onupper and lower surfaces of the capacitance forming portion, andhardness of the cover portions may be 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa orless.

In the body 110, the dielectric layers 111 and the first and secondinternal electrodes 121 and 122 may be alternately stacked.

A specific shape of the body 110 is not particularly limited, but thebody 110 may be formed in a hexahedral shape or a shape similar thereto.Due to the shrinkage of ceramic powders contained in the body 110 duringa sintering process, the body 110 may have a substantially hexahedralshape, although it is not a hexahedral shape with a complete straightline.

The body 110 may have the first and second surfaces 1 and 2 opposingeach other in a thickness direction (Z direction) thereof, third andfourth surfaces 3 and 4 connected to the first and second surfaces 1 and2 and opposing each other in a length direction (X direction) thereof,and fifth and sixth surfaces 5 and 6 connected to the first and secondsurfaces 1 and 2, connected to the third and fourth surfaces 3 and 4,and opposing each other in a width direction (Y direction) thereof.

The plurality of dielectric layers 111 forming the body 110 may be in asintered state, and adjacent dielectric layers 111 may be integratedwith each other so that boundaries therebetween are not readily apparentwithout using a scanning electron microscope (SEM).

A raw material of the dielectric layer 111 is not particularly limitedas long as it may obtain a sufficient capacitance. For example, the rawmaterial of the dielectric layer 111 may be barium titanate (BaTiO₃)powders. A material of the dielectric layer 111 may be prepared byadding various ceramic additives, organic solvents, plasticizers,binders, dispersing agents, and the like, to the powder such as bariumtitanate (BaTiO₃), or the like, according to an object of the presentdisclosure.

The internal electrodes 121 and 122 may be stacked alternately with thedielectric layers, and may include the first and second internalelectrodes 121 and 122. The first and second internal electrodes 121 and122 may be alternately disposed to face each other while having thedielectric layers configuring the body 110 interposed therebetween, andmay be exposed to the third and fourth surfaces 3 and 4 of the body 110,respectively.

Referring to FIG. 2, the first internal electrode 121 may be spacedapart from the fourth surface 4 of the body 110 and exposed through thethird surface 3 of the body 110, and the second external electrode 122may be spaced apart from the third surface 3 of the body 110 and exposedthrough the fourth surface 4 of the body 110.

At this time, the first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 maybe electrically insulated from each other by the dielectric layer 111disposed therebetween. Referring to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the body 110 may beformed by alternatively stacking a ceramic green sheet (a) on which thefirst internal electrode 121 is printed and a ceramic green sheet (b) onwhich the second internal electrode 122 is printed and then sinteringthe ceramic green sheets (a and b).

A material forming each of the first and second internal electrodes 121and 122 is not particularly limited, but may be a conductive pasteformed of one or more of, for example, a noble metal material such aspalladium (Pd), a palladium-silver (Pd—Ag) alloy, or the like, nickel(Ni), and copper (Cu).

A method of printing the conductive paste may be a screen printingmethod, a gravure printing method, or the like, but is not limitedthereto.

The capacitor component 100 according to an exemplary embodiment in thepresent disclosure may include the capacitance forming portion Adisposed in the body 110 and forming capacitance by including the firstand second internal electrodes 121 and 122 disposed to face each otherwhile having the dielectric layer 111 interposed therebetween, and thecover portions 112 and 113 formed on the upper and lower portions of thecapacitance forming portion A.

The capacitance forming portion A, which is a portion contributing toform capacitance of the capacitor, may be formed by repeatedly stackinga plurality of first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 whilehaving the dielectric layer 111 interposed therebetween.

The upper cover portion 112 and the lower cover portion 113 may notinclude the internal electrode, and may contain the same material asthat of the dielectric layer 111.

That is, the upper cover portion 112 and the lower cover portion 113 maycontain a ceramic material, for example, barium titanate (BaTiO₃) basedceramic material.

The upper cover portion 112 and the lower cover portion 113 may beformed by stacking a single dielectric layer or two or more dielectriclayers on upper and lower surfaces of the capacitance forming portion A,respectively, in a vertical direction, and may basically serve toprevent damage to the internal electrodes due to physical or chemicalstress.

In addition, withstand voltage characteristics may be secured byadjusting hardness of the cover portions 112 and 113 to 9.5 GPa or moreand 14 GPa or less.

In order to simultaneously achieve miniaturization and high capacitanceof the multilayer ceramic capacitor, the number of stacked layers needsto be increased by reducing thicknesses of the dielectric layer and theinternal electrodes. Currently, the thickness of the dielectric layerhas reached about 0.6 μm, and the dielectric layer continues to bethinned.

However, in a case in which the thickness of the dielectric layer isless than 0.6 μm, it is difficult to secure withstand voltagecharacteristics, and insulation resistance (IR) deterioration defect ofthe dielectric layer is increased such that quality and yield may belowered.

In particular, when a component breakage mode is analyzed, a phenomenonin which breakage occurs in the cover portions 112 and 113 is frequentlyobserved. Therefore, in order to improve the withstand voltagecharacteristics, it is necessary to control characteristics of the coverportions 112 and 113.

According to an exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure, when thehardness of the cover portions 112 and 113 is controlled to 9.5 GPa ormore and 14 GPa or less, a dielectric breakdown may be suppressed toimprove the withstand voltage characteristics. In addition, thewithstand voltage characteristics may be sufficiently predicted bywhether or not the hardness value of the cover portions 112 and 113satisfies 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or less by measuring only thehardness of the cover portions 112 and 113 of the capacitor componentwithout applying an electric field until the dielectric breakdown.

In a case in which the hardness of the cover portions is less than 9.5GPa, it is difficult to secure the withstand voltage characteristics,and excessive cost may be consumed or productivity may be lowered tocontrol the hardness of the cover portions to exceed 14 GPa.

Meanwhile, a method for controlling the hardness of the cover portions112 and 113 is not particularly limited. For example, the hardness ofthe cover portions 112 and 113 may be controlled by adjustingdensification of the cover portions 112 and 113. As the densification ofthe cover portions 112 and 113 is increased, the hardness of the coverportions 112 and 113 may be increased, and as the densification of thecover portions 112 and 113 is decreased, the hardness of the coverportions 112 and 113 may be decreased.

FIG. 5 illustrates the Weibull distribution according to a breaking downvoltage for samples having different hardness of a cover portion. FIG. 6is a graph illustrating a measurement result of hardness values of acover portion of samples selected from group 1 and group 2 of FIG. 5.

A voltage value (breaking down voltage (BDV)) at a point of time atwhich a sample chip is broken is sequentially measured for sixty sampleshaving different hardness and is then shown in the Weibull distribution.

The Weibull distribution is one of the continuous probabilitydistributions and is mainly used for lifetime data analysis. The Weibulldistribution is one of probability analyses that may estimate how theprobability of failure changes with time, and it follows a probabilitydensity function as shown in Equation 1 below.f(t)=αλ(λt)^(α-1) e ^(−(λt)α) ,t≥0  [Equation 1]

(α: shape parameter, λ: scale parameter)

At this time, a change in gradient in the Weibull distribution meansthat the probability density function varies, which means that thecauses of lifetime failure vary. Therefore, group 1 and group 2 areclassified based on a point at which the gradient is rapidly changed.

Five samples (sample numbers 1 to 5) in group 1 and nine samples (samplenumbers 6 to 14) in group 2 are selected, each of the samples is cut asillustrated in FIG. 3, hardness values at five points disposed at equalintervals in the width direction (Y direction) in the upper coverportion 112 and the lower cover portion 113 are measured, and thehardness values at ten points in total are measured for each sample,which are illustrated in FIG. 6.

It may be confirm that the hardness value of the cover portion in thecase of group 1 having a low breaking down voltage is less than 9.5 GPa,and the hardness value of the cover portion in the case of group 2having a high breaking down voltage satisfies 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPaor less.

In addition, it may be confirmed that the withstand voltagecharacteristics may be sufficiently predicted even though only thehardness of the cover portions 112 and 113 of the capacitor componentare measured without applying the electric field until the dielectricbreakdown.

Meanwhile, margin portions 114 and 115 may be disposed on side surfacesof the capacitance forming portion A.

The margin portions 114 and 115 may include a margin portion 114disposed on the sixth surface 6 of the ceramic body 110 and a marginportion 115 disposed on the fifth surface 5 thereof.

That is, the margin portions 114 and 115 may be disposed on oppositeside surfaces of the ceramic body 110 in the width direction thereof.

The margin portions 114 and 115 refer to regions between opposite endsof the first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 and an interfaceof the body 110 on a cross section of the body 110 taken along the body110 in a width-thickness (W-T) direction thereof as illustrated in FIG.3.

In addition, the cover portions 112 and 113 may have hardness greaterthan that of the dielectric layer 111 of the capacitance forming portionA.

When a component breakage mode is analyzed, a phenomenon in whichbreakage occurs in the cover portions 112 and 113 is frequentlyobserved. Therefore, in a case in which the hardness of the coverportions 112 and 113 of 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or less is securedaccording to the exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure, thewithstand voltage characteristics may be secured even though thehardness of the dielectric layer 111 of the capacitance forming portionA is somewhat smaller than that of the cover portions 112 and 113.

Meanwhile, a thickness of each of the first and second internalelectrodes is not particularly limited. However, in order to more easilyachieve miniaturization and high capacitance of the capacitor component,the thickness to of each of the first and second internal electrodes 121and 122 may be 0.4 μm or less.

The thickness of each of the first and second internal electrodes 121and 122 may refer to an average thickness of the first and secondinternal electrodes 121 and 122.

The average thickness of the first and second internal electrodes 121and 122 may be measured by scanning an image of a cross section (L-Tcross section) of the body 110 in a length and thickness directionthereof using a scanning electron microscope.

For example, with respect to any first and second internal electrodes121 and 122 extracted from an image obtained by scanning the crosssection (L-T cross section) of the body 110 in the length and thicknessdirections taken along a central portion of the body 110 in the width(W) direction using the scanning electron microscope, thicknesses of thefirst and second internal electrodes may be measured at thirty pointsdisposed at equal intervals in the length direction to measure anaverage value thereof.

The thirty points disposed at equal intervals may be measured in acapacitance forming portion that means a region in which the first andsecond internal electrodes 121 and 122 are overlapped with each other.

In addition, the thickness of the dielectric layer 111 is notparticularly limited.

However, in a case in which the dielectric layer has a thin thicknesswhich is less than 0.6 μm, particularly, the thickness of the dielectriclayer is 0.4 μm or less, it is difficult to control a process defectthat may occur in the cover portions. Therefore, it is difficult tosecure the withstand voltage characteristics, and quality and yield maybe decreased due to insulation resistance (IR) deterioration defect ofthe dielectric layer.

According to the exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure asdescribed above, in the case in which the hardness of the cover portionsis 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or less, since the withstand voltagecharacteristics of the capacitor component may be improved and thebreakdown voltage (BDV) and reliability may be improved, the withstandvoltage characteristics may be sufficiently secured even in a case inwhich the thickness td of the dielectric layer is 0.4 μm or less.

Therefore, in the case in which the thickness td of the dielectric layer111 is 0.4 μm or less, an effect of improving the withstand voltagecharacteristics, the breakdown voltage, and the reliability according tothe present disclosure may be more significant.

The thickness td of the dielectric layer 111 may refer to an averagethickness of the dielectric layers 111 disposed between the first andsecond internal electrodes 121 and 122.

The average thickness of the dielectric layer 111 may be measured byscanning an image of a cross section (L-T cross section) of the body 110in a length and thickness direction thereof using a scanning electronmicroscope.

For example, with respect to any dielectric layer extracted from animage obtained by scanning the cross section (L-T cross section) of thebody 110 in the length and thickness directions taken along a centralportion of the body 110 in the width (W) direction using the scanningelectron microscope, thicknesses of the dielectric layer may be measuredat thirty points disposed at equal intervals in the length direction tomeasure an average value thereof.

The thirty points disposed at equal intervals may be measured in acapacitance forming portion that means a region in which the first andsecond internal electrodes 121 and 122 are overlapped with each other.

In addition, the thickness of each of the cover portions 112 and 113 isnot particularly limited. However, in order to more easily achieveminiaturization and high capacitance of the capacitor component, thethickness tp of each of the cover portions 112 and 113 may be 20 μm orless. According to the exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure,in a case in which the hardness of the cover portions 112 and 113 issecured to 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or less, the withstand voltagecharacteristics may be secured even in a case in which the thickness ofeach of the cover portions 112 and 113 is 20 μm or less.

The external electrodes 131 and 132 may be disposed on the body 110 andmay be connected to the internal electrodes 121 and 122. As illustratedin FIG. 2, the external electrodes 131 and 132 may include first andsecond external electrodes 131 and 132 connected to the first and secondinternal electrodes 121 and 122, respectively. A structure in which thecapacitor component 100 includes two external electrodes 131 and 132 isdescribed in the present exemplary embodiment, but the number, shapes,or the like, of external electrodes 131 and 132 may be changed dependingon shapes of the internal electrodes 121 and 122 or other purposes.

Meanwhile, the external electrodes 131 and 132 may be formed of anymaterial as long as it is a material having electrical conductivity suchas a metal or the like, and a specific material thereof may bedetermined in consideration of electrical characteristics, structuralstability, and the like. Further, the external electrodes 131 and 132may have a multilayer structure.

For example, the external electrodes 131 and 132 may include electrodelayers 131 a and 132 a disposed on the body 110 and plating layers 131 band 132 b formed on the electrode layers 131 a and 132 a.

The electrode layers 131 a and 132 a will be described in more detail.The electrode layers 131 a and 132 a may be sintered electrodescontaining a conductive metal and glass, and the conductive metal may becopper (Cu). In addition, the electrode layers 131 a and 132 a may beresin-based electrodes containing a plurality of metal particles and aconductive resin.

The plating layers 131 b and 132 b will be described in more detail. Theplating layers 131 b and 132 b may be a nickel (Ni) plating layer or atin (Sn) plating layer. The Ni plating layer and the Sn plating layermay be sequentially formed on the electrode layers 131 a and 132 a. Theplating layers 131 b and 132 b may also include a plurality of Niplating layers and/or a plurality of Sn plating layers.

Meanwhile, a size of the capacitor component 100 is not particularlylimited.

However, in order to simultaneously achieve miniaturization and highcapacitance of the capacitor component, it is necessary to increase thenumber of stacked layers by reducing the thicknesses of the dielectriclayer and the internal electrodes. Therefore, the effect of improvingwithstand voltage characteristics, breakdown voltage (BDV), andreliability according to the present disclosure may be more significantin a capacitor component having a size of 0402 (0.4 mm×0.2 mm) or less.

Therefore, when a distance between the third and fourth surfaces of thebody is L and a distance between the fifth and sixth surface thereof isW, L may be 0.4 mm or less and W may be 0.2 mm or less.

That is, the capacitor component according to the present disclosure maybe the capacitor component having a size of 0402 (0.4 mm×0.2 mm) orless.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line I-I′ of FIG.1 according to another exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line II-II′ ofFIG. 1 according to another exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure.

Hereinafter, another exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure willbe described in detail with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8. However, inorder to avoid an overlapped description, the description common to thecapacitor component according to an exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure will be omitted.

A capacitor component according to another exemplary embodiment in thepresent disclosure may include a body 110 including dielectric layers111 and first and second internal electrodes 121 and 122 disposed toface each other while having the dielectric layer 111 interposedtherebetween, and including first and second surfaces 1 and 2 opposingeach other, third and fourth surfaces 3 and 4 connected to the first andsecond surfaces and opposing each other, and fifth and sixth surfaces 5and 6 connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposing each other;and first and second external electrodes 131 and 132 disposed on anexternal surface of the body and electrically connected to the first andsecond internal electrodes, respectively. The body may include acapacitance forming portion A including the first and second internalelectrodes disposed to face each other while having the dielectric layer111 interposed therebetween and in which capacitance is formed, andcover portions 112 and 113 formed on upper and lower surfaces of thecapacitance forming portion, the cover portions 112 and 113 may bedivided into first regions 112 a and 113 a adjacent to the internalelectrode disposed at the outermost portion among the first and secondinternal electrodes and second regions 112 b and 113 b adjacent to theexternal surface of the body 110, and hardness of the first regions 112a and 113 a may be 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or less.

When a component breakage mode is analyzed, a phenomenon in whichbreakage occurs in the cover portions 112 and 113 is frequentlyobserved. In particular, the dielectric breakdown mainly occurs in thefirst regions 112 a and 113 a adjacent to the internal electrodedisposed at the outermost portion among the first and second internalelectrodes. Therefore, in order to improve the withstand voltagecharacteristics, it is necessary to control the hardness of the firstregions 112 a and 113 a to 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or less.

At this time, the first regions 112 a and 113 a may have the hardnessgreater than that of the second regions 112 b and 113 b.

When a component breakage mode is analyzed, a phenomenon in whichbreakage occurs in the first regions 112 a and 113 a is frequentlyobserved. Therefore, in a case in which the hardness of the firstregions 112 a and 113 a is secured to 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or lessaccording to another exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure, thewithstand voltage characteristics may be secured even though thehardness of the second regions 112 b and 113 b is somewhat smaller thanthat of the first regions 112 a and 113 a.

In addition, the first regions 112 a and 113 a may have the hardnessgreater than that of the dielectric layer 111 of the capacitance formingportion A.

When a component breakage mode is analyzed, a phenomenon in whichbreakage occurs in the first regions 112 a and 113 a is frequentlyobserved. Therefore, in the case in which the hardness of the firstregions 112 a and 113 a is secured to 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or lessaccording to another exemplary embodiment in the present disclosure, thewithstand voltage characteristics may be secured even though thehardness of the dielectric layer 111 of the capacitance forming portionA is somewhat smaller than that of the first regions 112 a and 113 a.

In addition, a thickness tp1 of each of the first regions 112 a and 113a may be 20 μm or less.

In order to more easily achieve miniaturization and high capacitance ofthe capacitor component, the thickness of each of the first regions 112a and 113 a may be 20 μm or less. According to another exemplaryembodiment in the present disclosure, in the case in which the hardnessof the first regions 112 a and 113 a is secured to 9.5 GPa or more and14 GPa or less, the withstand voltage characteristics may be securedeven in a case in which the thickness of each of the first regions 112 aand 113 a is 20 μm or less.

As set forth above, according to the exemplary embodiment in the presentdisclosure, the capacitor component having the excellent withstandvoltage characteristics may be provided.

In addition, the new parameter capable of predicting the withstandvoltage characteristics may be provided.

Various advantages and effects of the present disclosure are not limitedto the description above, and may be more readily understood in thedescription of exemplary embodiments in the present disclosure.

While exemplary embodiments have been shown and described above, it willbe apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications andvariations could be made without departing from the scope of the presentinvention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A capacitor component comprising: a bodyincluding dielectric layers and first and second internal electrodesdisposed to face each other while having the dielectric layersinterposed therebetween, and including first and second surfacesopposing each other, third and fourth surfaces connected to the firstand second surfaces and opposing each other, and fifth and sixthsurfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposing eachother; and first and second external electrodes disposed on an externalsurface of the body and electrically connected to the first and secondinternal electrodes, respectively, wherein the body includes acapacitance forming portion including the first and second internalelectrodes disposed to face each other while having the dielectriclayers interposed therebetween and in which capacitance is formed, andcover portions disposed on upper and lower surfaces of the capacitanceforming portion, respectively, the cover portions each have a hardnessgreater than that of the dielectric layers of the capacitance formingportion, and the hardness of the cover portions is 9.5 GPa or more and14 GPa or less.
 2. The capacitor component of claim 1, furthercomprising margin portions disposed on side surfaces of the capacitanceforming, portion.
 3. The capacitor component of claim 1, wherein athickness of each of the dielectric layers is 0.4 μm or less, and athickness of each of the first and second internal electrodes is 0.4 μmor less.
 4. The capacitor component of claim 1, wherein a thickness ofeach of the cover portions is 20 μm or less.
 5. The capacitor componentof claim 1, wherein a distance between the third and fourth surfaces is0.4 mm or less, and a distance between the fifth and sixth surfaces is0.2 mm or less.
 6. The capacitor component of claim 5, wherein the thirdand fourth surfaces oppose each other in a length direction of the body,and the first and second external electrodes are disposed the third andfourth surfaces, respectively.
 7. A capacitor component comprising: abody including dielectric layers and first and second internalelectrodes disposed to face each other while having the dielectriclayers interposed therebetween, and including first and second surfacesopposing each other, third and fourth surfaces connected to the firstand second surfaces and opposing each other, and fifth and sixthsurfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposing eachother; and first and second external electrodes disposed on an externalsurface of the body and electrically connected to the first and secondinternal electrodes, respectively, wherein the body includes acapacitance forming portion including the first and second internalelectrodes disposed to face each other while having the dielectriclayers interposed therebetween and in which capacitance is formed, andcover portions disposed on upper and lower surfaces of the capacitanceforming portion, respectively, each of the cover portions includes afirst region adjacent to the internal electrode disposed at theoutermost portion among the first and second internal electrodes and asecond region adjacent to the external surface of the body, the firstregion of each of the cover portions being disposed between thecapacitance forming portion and the second region of the cover portions,respectively, each of the first regions has a hardness greater than thatof the dielectric layers of the capacitance forming portion, and thehardness of the first regions is 9.5 GPa or more and 14 GPa or less. 8.The capacitor component of claim 7, wherein the first regions of thecover portions have the hardness greater than that of the second regionsof the cover portions.
 9. The capacitor component of claim 7, furthercomprising margin portions disposed on side surfaces of the capacitanceforming portion.
 10. The capacitor component of claim 7, wherein athickness of the dielectric layers is 0.4 μm or less, and a thickness ofeach of the first and second internal electrodes is 0.4 μm or less. 11.The capacitor component of claim 7, wherein a thickness of each of thefirst regions of the cover portions is 20 μm or less.
 12. The capacitorcomponent of claim 7, wherein when a distance between the third andfourth surfaces is 0.4 mm or less and a distance between the fifth andsixth surfaces 0.2 mm or less.
 13. The capacitor component of claim 12,wherein the third and fourth surfaces oppose each other in a lengthdirection of the body, and the first and second external electrodes aredisposed the third and fourth surfaces, respectively.
 14. A capacitorcomponent comprising: a body including dielectric layers and first andsecond, internal electrodes disposed to face each other while having thedielectric layers interposed therebetween, and including first andsecond surfaces opposing each other, third and fourth surfaces connectedto the first and second surfaces and opposing each other, and fifth andsixth surfaces connected to the first to fourth surfaces and opposingeach other; and first and second external electrodes disposed on anexternal surface of the body and electrically connected to the first andsecond internal electrodes, respectively, wherein the body includes acapacitance forming portion including the first and second internalelectrodes disposed to face each other while having the dielectriclayers interposed therebetween and in which capacitance is formed, andcover portions disposed on upper and lower surfaces of the capacitanceforming portion, respectively, each of the cover portions includes afirst region adjacent to the internal electrode disposed at theoutermost portion among the first and second internal electrodes and asecond region adjacent to the external surface of the body, the firstregion of the each of the cover portions being disposed between thecapacitance forming portion and the second region of the each of thecover portions, the first regions of the cover portions have a hardnessgreater than that of the second regions of the cover portions,respectively, the hardness of each of the first regions is 9.5 GPa ormore and 14 GPa or less, and the cover portions contain a bariumtitanate (BaTiO₃) based ceramic material.
 15. The capacitor component ofclaim 14, further comprising margin portions disposed on opposing sidesurfaces of the capacitance forming portion.
 16. The capacitor componentof claim 14, wherein a thickness of each of the dielectric layers is 0.4μm or less, and a thickness of each of the first and second internalelectrodes is 0.4 μm or less.
 17. The capacitor component of claim 14,wherein a thickness of each of the first regions is 20 μm or less.